This invention relates generally to an apparatus for manufacturing laminated beams from individual boards of preselected dimensions. The invention relates more particularly to an apparatus for essentially automatically gluing, orienting and pressing a peselected number of boards together into a laminated beam product.
Laminated beams have been available in the marketplace for many years and are generally comprised of a plurality of rectangular elongated wooden members bonded together with a suitable adhesive. Some laminated beams are formed in elaborate shapes for particular end uses while others are formed into simple rectangular beams.
As the supply of larger logs continues to decrease over time the demand for laminated products will continue to increase. In the past, simple beams were comprised of solid sawn wood; however, as noted with the diminishing supply of larger logs it becomes increasingly difficult to supply the needs for larger wooden members in solid sawn form. Consequently, it is becoming increasingly necessary to develop methods and apparatus for laminating smaller wooden members together to provide larger structural members having suitable strength, appearance, and cost characteristics as compared to solid sawn wood products.
In general, a typical laminated beam forming process comprises the following series of steps: selecting the individual elongated wooden members for size and quality, spreading the appropriate adhesive on the appropriate surfaces of the individual wooden members, orienting the correct number of individual wooden members in the proper position for bringing the individual members together into beam form, and finally adding pressure and/or heat to the thusly formed beamed member in order to cure the lines of adhesive.
In the past, laminated beams were usually formed essentially by manual means and typically this method tends to be time-consuming, costly, and generally inefficient. It, therefore, is desirable to consider ways of mechanising the laminated beam forming process.
Accordingly, from the foregoing, one object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical apparatus to carry out the laminated beam forming process.
Another object of the present invention is to substantially automate the beam forming process in order to reduce the amount of manual labor required.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide an essentially continuous operation by having a plurality of press openings.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification in conjunction with the attached drawing.